Met Council approves plans for region's first arterial Bus Rapid Transit line

Plans for the region’s first arterial Bus Rapid Transit Line, the A Line, won approval from the Metropolitan Council on Wednesday.

The approved plan includes 20 enhanced stations, faster and more frequent bus service and specialized vehicles with train-like features that make boarding more efficient. The BRT service will run on Snelling Avenue and Ford Parkway between the Rosedale Transit Center in Roseville and the METRO Blue Line’s 46th Street Station in Minneapolis. A Line passengers will be able to transfer to the METRO Green Line at Snelling Avenue Station.

Funding for the $25 million project comes from the state, Met Council and federal grants.

Approval of the recommended plan allows the project to enter the final design and construction phase. Construction will begin later this year and service will start in late-2015.

The A Line is one of 12 arterial BRT corridors that have been identified as regional priorities. The B Line is due to open on St. Paul's West 7th Street in late-2016 and the C Line is due to open on Penn Avenue in Minneapolis as early as 2017. An evaluation of a potential future extension of the A Line to Arden Hills is also ongoing.